Government rebates and incentives for installing electric vehicle residential charging stations

Thinking of getting an electric vehicle? It’s an environmentally friendly choice because it does not emit C02 or other air pollutants. It’s also an excellent way of decreasing your dependence on fossil fuels and doing your part in the face of climate change.

Obviously, producing the electricity required to keep an electric vehicle running produces emissions but nowhere near the levels of a gas-powered vehicle.

Even though an electric vehicle is an eco-friendly choice, it is one that involves a lot of costs – including for the charging station. Thankfully, electric vehicle owners can benefit from a few government programs to help them with the costs of their investment. Read on for a summary of rebates available.

H2 How much does an EV charging station cost?

Our 240-volt charging stations cost between $995 and $1,295. The ones we’ve chosen are made in Quebec and of the highest quality. Once you’ve picked the model you want, you’re ready to proceed with the installation phase. This can cost on average about $700. Keep in mind this requires the services of a certified electrician.

However, if your electrical panel needs to be changed or wires have to be installed underground, the costs will be higher.

Using your charging station to fully charge your car’s battery costs about $1 but this can vary depending on the model of your vehicle and charging station. But if you drive about 20,000 km a year and charge your vehicle every night, your annual electricity bill for your charging station will hover around $300.

Government rebates for charging stations depending on your type of dwelling

Many subsidies are available in Quebec when it comes to installing charging stations. Whether you want to install a charging station in a residential or commercial area, you can benefit from hundreds of dollars in rebates. Here is some information about the programs available and the amounts you can obtain to help with the costs of acquiring and installing a charging station.

First, to be eligible, the charging station must:

Be new
Be a qualified level 2 AC charging station
Be used to charge an all-electric vehicle, a plug-in hybrid vehicle, or an electric motorcycle belonging to the residents of the building where it is installed
Be maintained by the applicant during at least three years following the payment of the financial assistance
Have been approved by an accredited certification body

Subsidies for EV charging stations installed in multi-unit residential buildings

Do you own a condo unit or a multi-unit residential building and want to install a charging station? You can benefit from a rebate for the purchase, rental, and installation of several models of new 240-volt charging stations.

The financial assistance may correspond to:

50% of eligible expenses
$5,000 per charging station
$5,000 per connector (if your charging station is equipped with them)

If you lease a charging station, you could receive:

$500 per charging station
$500 per connector
50% of eligible expenses related to the installation

To be eligible to receive financial assistance, applicants who lease their charging station must provide a lease proving their rental is for at least 3 years.

Rebates for residential charging stations

You could receive up to $600 in financial assistance when you install a charging station at your home.

First, you need to make sure your charging station is eligible as per the criteria of the program. Furthermore, you must be the owner or the long-term lessee of the electric vehicle and the bill must be in your name. If this is not the case, your request for financial assistance will be denied.

Once the work has been carried out, you’re ready to apply for financial assistance. You will have to provide several documents, including the sales contract of the vehicle, proof that your charging station is a level 2 station, as well as the full bill for the purchase of the charging station.

Rebates for charging stations at work

If you are thinking of installing charging stations for your corporate vehicles or your employees’ vehicles, you may also benefit from financial assistance. Charging stations purchased and leased are eligible for government rebates.

The amount provided for the purchase and installation of charging stations is equal to 50% of the eligible expenses, up to a maximum of:

$5,000 per wireless charging station
$5,000 per connector

If the charging station is leased, the rebate may be up to:

$500 per wireless charging station
$500 per connector
50% of the expenses related to installation

In any case, the maximum amount allocated is $5,000 per charging station and $5,000 per connector.

To be eligible for financial assistance, the charging station must meet the following criteria:

It is new
It is a level 1 (120 volts) or level 2 (208/240 volts) charging station or both
It must be used to charge an electric vehicle owned by the applicant or their employees
It has been approved by an accredited certification body

More criteria regarding the work and companies eligible as per the Roulez vert program are listed online. Make sure you thoroughly read the documents before purchasing or leasing your charging station.

Applying for a rebate for a charging station

To apply for financial assistance for the purchase, lease, or installation of a charging station, you will need some specific documents.

For a residential charging station, you will need to create an account for online services then fill out the application in My applications > Create an application > Charging station. You will receive an email notifying you if your request has been denied or accepted. If it has been accepted, you will receive a cheque in the mail.

For an organization or a multi-unit building, you must:

Plan your budget for the purchase and installation
Fill out a pre-approval request (temporarily removed)
Carry out the project
Fill out the refund request

The refund request must also include the following documents:

A copy of the detailed bills for the purchase of the charging station
A copy of the detailed bills for the work carried out to install and power the charging stations
Photos of the charging station(s) installed in your building (the photos must show all the charging stations for which financial assistance is requested as well as the building of the applicant) along with photos of the components of the new electrical infrastructure, if applicable (transformer, distribution panel, etc.)
If the amount of financial assistance is $5,000 or more, a copy of the proofs of payment of the bills is required. Accepted proofs of payment include a copy of the cheque endorsed by the bank, bank statement, credit card statement, notification of deposit.